I wish there was a season where I was playing and didn't have no aches, no pains, no bruises, no nothing.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
But in 2000, the injuries really started to kick in and my elbow gave a lot of problems. At the end of the year I had to take 20 months off before I could come back into the game.
I mean, coming into this season I was just hoping to come back, stay healthy and help the team.
You've got to love what you're doing. If you love it, you can overcome any handicap or the soreness or all the aches and pains, and continue to play for a long, long time.
A lot of times when you play... you get this adrenalin that blocks pain.
I never did work in the off-season, and I never did play winter ball or anything else. I think it was good for me to get away after a full season... In those days, I don't think anyone ever got too complacent.
Ask any athlete: We all hurt at times. I'm asking my body to go through seven different tasks. To ask it not to ache would be too much.
Yeah, two or three weeks ago I was fairly snappy. I've never been injured before and this year it feels like I've hardly played.
I just felt all along that if I could get a certain amount of years in the league, have great years and still have my health when I walked away, that would be great.
I wasn't into sports when I was younger. I was one of those kids who always tried to get a note from the doctor to say I had a cold so I didn't have to go play hockey in bad weather and be miserable.
I go out there and get my eyes gouged, my nose busted, my body slammed. I love the pain of the game.